1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a dust suppressing apparatus and more particularly to a bucket with an apparatus for suppressing dust and assisting in material processing.
2. State of the Art
The construction industry has wide spread use of buckets such as excavator buckets. The use of excavator buckets is particularly prevalent in pipeline and underground utility construction. Workers are required to move large amounts of soil in order to place a pipeline properly under the ground, or to properly install underground utilities and lines. The digging, cutting and material processing of the soil often times results in the emissions of dust.
Many state governments have a desire to control the emissions that they deem harmful or hazardous to the general public. States have often found that dust emissions from construction sites are one of the emissions that need control. They have set limits on the amount of dust emissions from any particular site and govern this by placing heavy fines on the construction company for violating the maximum dust emissions established by the state.
Conventional devices for controlling dust emissions include the use of water trucks. These water trucks carry large tanks of water and include a spray device. The water trucks drive systematically around the construction site and spray it down with water. The water spray serves to reduce the dust in the air and keeps dust emissions levels within the desired range established by the state.
These conventional devices have their drawbacks. One drawback is that the water truck is another piece of equipment and often times multiple pieces of equipment that a construction company must provide either by ownership or rental. Another drawback is that the trucks utilize a large amount of water in order to keep the dust emissions within the established levels. Yet another drawback is the additional costs for supplying the truck, the water and the additional labor for operating the truck. Further, the water truck lacks efficiency since it is trying to reduce emissions after the dust has already been emitted within the air.
Accordingly, there is a need in the field of dust suppressing devices for an improved bucket with a dust suppression apparatus.